Professionals in the treatment of Kidney Diseases have called on the Nigerian government to assist in the regulations of production and sales of carbonated and alcoholic drinks to halt the growing cases of kidney failure in the country.
To mark the celebration of the annual World Kidney Day, the Kidney Department of the Federal Medical Centre, Ebute-Meta on Thursday organized a rally titled ‘Kidney Health for All’ with aim to create awareness on healthy lifestyles, risk factors and ways to cope with kidney disease.
The Head of Dialysis Unit for nurses at the hospital Monisola Ogunleye while speaking at the rally, prescribed that the sales of drinks with high sugar content and more stringent labeling requirement should be ban.
Ogunleye recommended the need for public sensitization on the dangers these drinks pose and how it can lead to kidney damage. She noted that without considering these measures, the amount of people suffering from kidney damage will continue to rise.
She stated “Government has a lot to do to prevent an increase in kidney disease in the country. If you see Tobacco, they will say if you take it, you are liable to die young. The government needs to do something like that to all these carbonated drinks because you will see that young people and underage are having kidney problems. And findings have shown that some of them are as a result of alcoholic and carbonated drinks intake.
“Government should help us to provide more finances for public enlightenment and sensitization so that people can be aware of the danger in certain things they take.”
The expert noted that dehydration can also cause lots of havoc for the kidney and emphasize on the need for people to drink water of about 2 to 3 liters everyday that this act can help control damage to the kidney.
In her words “We discovered that a lot of people both old and young and even the age you are not expecting to have kidney problems are having it today. We know that a lot of things are going on and that is why we want to create awareness so that people can take Care of their kidney.
“Some people do not see taking enough water as important. People should make it a point of duty to take enough water a day because when enough urine is made, some materials that are not supposed to be deposited in the body will be flushed out by the urine.”
“People take carbonated drinks anyhow and all these sugary drinks will cause diabetes and will lead to kidney problems. When you eat excess salt, it will in return damage the kidney. People need to be cautious of alcohol intake because it can damage the kidneys and liver. Indiscriminate use of some pain relief drugs can affect the kidney,” she added.
Dr Danladi Nmadu a nephrologist at the hospital also condemned how people neglect the kidney as an organ in the body.
